LCV newsletter is rolling out... (Le Club Voyage Update Sep 26, 2014)

The Le Club Voyage newsletter is live, and should be in the Club Members' email soon**! This long awaited publication is rolling out in waves to the North American members as I write this.

Here's a link to a digital version: http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a8fc86aa

You'll find the details on our website under Le Club Voyage: http://www.AzamaraClubCruises.com

We sincerely thank you for your lively feedback and your continued loyalty to Azamara Club Cruises. I know I speak for all of us when I say we hope you love the new program!

In a nutshell, and in addition to the newly announced LCV Benefits of $199/pp/stateroom upgrade, improved Onboard Future Cruise Savings, and special LCV voyages, we are reinstating Complimentary Laundry (1 bag/week/stateroom) as well as the Complimentary Internet Minutes (based on tier levels).

We also heard our Solo Travelers and will award them with Double Points when they sail on Azamara. Plus we will be adding additional milestones for Discovery Plus and Discovery Platinum members so that Complimentary Nights are more attainable. And we are now offering 10% quarterly LCV savings on select voyages.

And last, but certainly not least, we are adding Suite Amenities of Complimentary Laundry per week/suite, and Complimentary Internet Minutes (235/pp/voyage), regardless of LCV or first-time Azamara cruisers.

We believe we have the best Past Passenger program afloat, as well as the richest Suite deals.

(**Disclaimer re. the timing of the newsletter roll-out...due to international legal requirements, some markets will receive their newsletter next week.)

Well....that seems much more like a Loyalty Programme! :)

I think this "upgrade" will meet with general approval and Well Done to Larry Pimentel and senior Az management for realising they had shot themselves in the foot and deciding to reinstate the free Internet and Laundry. To admit your mistakes and rectify them is the test of a good business.

Good news for solo and suite travellers too.

At last we can give wholehearted praise and thanks to Azamara.

You realised that you made a mistake and have moved quickly to rectify things.

Big respect to you all. I am very appreciative of this about turn

And last, but certainly not least, we are adding Suite Amenities of Complimentary Laundry per week/suite, and Complimentary Internet Minutes (235/pp/voyage), regardless of LCV or first-time Azamara cruisers.

 

 

(**Disclaimer re. the timing of the newsletter roll-out...due to international legal requirements, some markets will receive their newsletter next week.)

This is very welcoming news to say the least and I hope to never use all of those minutes because if I do, it means I am working too much while on a cruise...;)

thanks Azamara for listening to us...:)

Azamara actually listened to their guests!

I received the Greeting from the new Le Club Voyage Ambassador, Nicole.

At last we can give wholehearted praise and thanks to Azamara.

 

You realised that you made a mistake and have moved quickly to rectify things.

 

Big respect to you all. I am very appreciative of this about turn

I echo these sentiments and much appreciate Azamara's response to the concerns expressed here and elsewhere.

Phil

Yippee the little things are back for the lower ranks of LCV:)

Hi Everyone,

I'm very pleased to see that Azamara has listened to our concerns, and made the welcome adjustments to the Le Club Voyage program. I'm also gratified that my predictions that Azamara would listen to their guests and offer a compromise, proved to be the case. I was deeply disappointed that very few supported my numerous posts encouraging members to have patience and faith that Azamara would come through. I felt like Tom Hanks in Cast Away... stranded on an island by myself (and Wilson !) :) IMO, today's updates are a very fair compromise. As the LCV program stands now, there are several benefits that are greatly improved. I see it as a win-win for all.

I realize that some may have cancelled their bookings due to the LCV changes, and that's unfortunate, as the Azamara cruise experiece is outstanding. While I strongly feel that much of this firestorm could have been avoided if Azamara reached out to us before making the changes... what should matter the most, is that Azamara listened. IMO, they deserve big kudos and our respect for that. I'm more than willing to say goodbye to this brouhaha, and move forward. I sincerely hope that our members are pleased with today's news.

Thanks again to Larry Pimentel and his management team, for listening to us, and making things right !

Please can Bonnie advise when the suite internet and laundry perks will start?

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

We echo these sentiments, well done Azamara in returning to the table with a blend of old and new that provides one of the most comprehensive loyalty schemes. Those wishing to pick holes in it, and I am sure there will be some, are not looking at the wider package.

Now lets get back to doing what we do best enjoying the Azamara experience.

Please can Bonnie advise when the suite internet and laundry perks will start?

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

Says in the newsletter will be from January 2015, I have looked in the t&c's and you will get suite internet and laundry but not the LCV perk as well. Don't see this as any great problem though

Azamara, I absolutely love what you deliver on-board.

Now that you have listened when we, your greatest selling tool, have asked you to.

I feel that I speak on behalf of many of us, when I say that most of us will now continue to "sell" the fantastic experience that you never fail to deliver.

Once again, thank you Larry, for listening and responding.

Also Bonnie and Host Andy and all the CC Members for saying it, the way you saw it.

Darryl

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm very pleased to see that Azamara has listened to our concerns, and made the welcome adjustments to the Le Club Voyage program. I'm also gratified that my predictions that Azamara would listen to their guests and offer a compromise, proved to be the case. I was deeply disappointed that very few supported my numerous posts encouraging members to have patience and faith that Azamara would come through. I felt like Tom Hanks in Cast Away... stranded on an island by myself (and Wilson !) :) IMO, today's updates are a very fair compromise. As the LCV program stands now, there are several benefits that are greatly improved. I see it as a win-win for all.

 

I realize that some may have cancelled their bookings due to the LCV changes, and that's unfortunate, as the Azamara cruise experiece is outstanding. While I strongly feel that much of this firestorm could have been avoided if Azamara reached out to us before making the changes... what should matter the most, is that Azamara listened. IMO, they deserve big kudos and our respect for that. I'm more than willing to say goodbye to this brouhaha, and move forward. I sincerely hope that our members are pleased with today's news.

 

Thanks again to Larry Pimentel and his management team, for listening to us, and making things right !

Great post, and you were correct concerning remaining calm in the midst of the storm.

I must admit, I didn't expect such a satisfactory compromise from Azamara, but, on the other hand, I'm glad I wasn't in the camp that stated definitively that Azamara never listens to its customers.

Don't know if its appropriate to post here, but in our most recent Report on Business a journalist commented upon the tension that social media creates for businesses.

As I understand the argument often said businesses want to treat social media as a marketing mechanism rather than as a voice of the consumer. And as that voice, social media is difficult to control. I think this creates a difficult task for our CBO.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/how-a-company-can-lose-its-voice-to-social-media-gaffes-and-start-ups-dedicated-to-stopping-it/article20769859/

Well done Azamara! The fact that you listened to us and weren't afraid to admit you made a mistake,and reinstated the perks that mattered most to us speaks volumes about the responsiveness and the quality of your leadership!

Thank you Larry, Bonnie, and all the others who helped turn this almost disastrous situation around. Azamara has always been and will continue to be our favorite cruise line, and we really look forward to our B2B2B cruise to Australia and New Zealand--and many more Azamara cruises in the future!

What's really amazing that Azamara didn't seem to take the time to do just a little market research before letting changing their program.

The Royal Caribbean family really does not seem to reach out to understand changes BEFORE they are made. Celebrity's change to the drinks program was a disaster; this Azamara change was equally a disaster. One hopes that they learn from their mistakes and they invest in just a little market research and/or get out of the office and talk to real customers in the future....

Very pleased to see the re-instatement of the on board incentives, even if as lowly Adventurers that will only gain us 30 minutes of Internet each.

We had no intention of cancelling our November 2015 cruise and look forward to moving up the levels and hopefully enjoying many more Azamara cruises in the future.

Kudos to Host Andy, you said they'd listen and they have. :)

What's really amazing that Azamara didn't seem to take the time to do just a little market research before letting changing their program.

 

The Royal Caribbean family really does not seem to reach out to understand changes BEFORE they are made. Celebrity's change to the drinks program was a disaster; this Azamara change was equally a disaster. One hopes that they learn from their mistakes and they invest in just a little market research and/or get out of the office and talk to real customers in the future....

Hi Ghstudio,

I'm not so sure about the above comment. On more than one occasion, I received at least 1 survey (and possibly two) from Celebrity asking what Captains Club members would like to see in an updated Captains Club program... so Celebrity did make some attempts at getting feedback from with their guests.

IMO, these types of surveys should be relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things. My point was... if Azamara had only floated out their ill-advised concept ahead of what was originally planned, they clearly would have realized it wasn't going to work, and ultimately could have saved themselves a ton of headaches and other collateral damage.

At the end of the day, they listened, and I truly believe that's what matters the most.

Wow...way to respond!!!... We chose azamara over oceana this year and it was based on the fact that we needed/wanted the free internet as we are celebrity elite. We were sorry to see the changes being made...so thrilled azamara has reinstated the goodies.

Thanks

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm very pleased to see that Azamara has listened to our concerns, and made the welcome adjustments to the Le Club Voyage program. I'm also gratified that my predictions that Azamara would listen to their guests and offer a compromise, proved to be the case. I was deeply disappointed that very few supported my numerous posts encouraging members to have patience and faith that Azamara would come through. I felt like Tom Hanks in Cast Away... stranded on an island by myself (and Wilson !) :) IMO, today's updates are a very fair compromise. As the LCV program stands now, there are several benefits that are greatly improved. I see it as a win-win for all.

 

Andy

I am delighted with the outcome, but the fact is that few corporations really listen to their customers these days. So patience and faith are hard to come by. I think we have all received the letters that start "To serve you better..." and then describe changes to your bank, your credit card or whatever that make life harder and/or more expensive. That makes Azamara a real standout and I'm already looking at new bookings.

I am pleased to know they made adjustments to the program. RCI cruisers have come to expect something for loyalty, nice to know they cared enough to make adjustments.

I'm very pleased to see that Azamara has listened to our concerns, and made the welcome adjustments to the Le Club Voyage program.

Ditto! :)

Great post, and you were correct concerning remaining calm in the midst of the storm.

 

 

 

I must admit, I didn't expect such a satisfactory compromise from Azamara, but, on the other hand, I'm glad I wasn't in the camp that stated definitively that Azamara never listens to its customers.

 

 

 

Don't know if its appropriate to post here, but in our most recent Report on Business a journalist commented upon the tension that social media creates for businesses.

 

 

 

As I understand the argument often said businesses want to treat social media as a marketing mechanism rather than as a voice of the consumer. And as that voice, social media is difficult to control. I think this creates a difficult task for our CBO.

 

 

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/how-a-company-can-lose-its-voice-to-social-media-gaffes-and-start-ups-dedicated-to-stopping-it/article20769859/

Hi Nordski, thanks for sharing that article. I've not heard of such B2B services that sort through the social media channels and create profiles of the posters to enable personalized responses, but I can see the potential value. In our case, you could say I'm doing the same thing but on a human level with this Cruise Critic forum: I read the threads daily (well, almost daily...yesterday I participated in a Harvest Festival so I was absent from CC). I do act as the corporate voice and am given complete latitude to compose and post.

I've learned what one might call the profiles of the most prolific participants. And I advise the various departments of any conversations they'll want to be aware of.

On some of our social medium channels we actively market voyages and sales promotions, such as on the website and our email blasts. On other channels we do both: listen and market, such as on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+. But there are the channels where we primarily listen, such as Cruise Critic. And listen we do!

My job is primarily to listen. I only try to 'control' the message when there is erroneous information being proffered. Otherwise it is your forum. I'm a participant like all the rest.

That's a long-winded reply to your statement that the CBO has a difficult task. I'd say no, not difficult; typically enjoyable, sometimes challenging ;)

Hi Nordski, thanks for sharing that article. I've not heard of such B2B services that sort through the social media channels and create profiles of the posters to enable personalized responses, but I can see the potential value. In our case, you could say I'm doing the same thing but on a human level with this Cruise Critic forum: I read the threads daily (well, almost daily...yesterday I participated in a Harvest Festival so I was absent from CC). I do act as the corporate voice and am given complete latitude to compose and post.

I've learned what one might call the profiles of the most prolific participants. And I advise the various departments of any conversations they'll want to be aware of.

On some of our social medium channels we actively market voyages and sales promotions, such as on the website and our email blasts. On other channels we do both: listen and market, such as on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+. But there are the channels where we primarily listen, such as Cruise Critic. And listen we do!

My job is primarily to listen. I only try to 'control' the message when there is erroneous information being proffered. Otherwise it is your forum. I'm a participant like all the rest.

That's a long-winded reply to your statement that the CBO has a difficult task. I'd say no, not difficult; typically enjoyable, sometimes challenging ;)

Not sure what was intended, but I do not like the idea of being "profiled" nor the idea of having the message "controlled". Perhaps this this was just an unfortunate choice of words on your part. I also disagree with your assertion that you are a "participant like all the rest" - while we appreciate your involvement in this forum, we are all well aware that you are an employee of Azamara.

Not sure what was intended, but I do not like the idea of being "profiled" nor the idea of having the message "controlled". Perhaps this this was just an unfortunate choice of words on your part. I also disagree with your assertion that you are a "participant like all the rest" - while we appreciate your involvement in this forum, we are all well aware that you are an employee of Azamara.

Hello 2fromTO, I was referring to the article that Nordski attached, which says some major corporations are hiring outside companies with the technology to track individual's comments across various social media channels, and create a profile of what that person likes & dislikes.

We at Azamara do not do that...but as a human being it is not difficult for me to form a sense of a frequent poster's likes & dislikes. Perhaps "profile" is a politically incorrect word to use? Perhaps I should have said "get a picture of"? I was using "profile" because I was talking to Nordski about the article posted, and that's the term the article uses.

As for my being a "participant like all the rest", yes I'm an employee of Azamara but on the CC forum board I am a participant. I am neither the Host nor Moderator...that is our Host Andy. I comment when I have something to add to the conversation. I try to respond to questions, usually within 24 hours. What I am best at is listening to what you're talking about. It is a good way for our small company to be PROACTIVE and to MAKE CHANGES when we are perhaps off course.

I very much appreciated your response to the article I posted.

I also very much appreciate the enthusiasm you bring to your role.